P&G’S FIVE SUSTAINABILITY THEMES FOR FABRIC AND HOME CARE PRODUCTS

While the concept of sustainability can mean many things in different contexts, P&G has identified five main themes where its factories, its supply and distribution chains and its consumers can make a significant impact in reducing our ecological footprint. Focusing on these five themes: Energy, Water, Compaction, Packaging and Consumer Behaviour, P&G has made a substantial contribution to sustainable development.

P&G has made energy reductions at all levels. At the production and distribution levels, P&G’s eco-efficiencies have largely reduced CO2 emissions. At the consumer level, compacted, low-temperature washing products have led to reduced energy costs in the use phase. P&G has communicated energy saving tips to consumers to further reduce the ecological footprint.See how P&G has achieved a more sustainable energy use.

Water management has become an increasing sustainability concern. With its long history of research in water safety and conservation, P&G has taken many initiatives to ensure that our use of water is sustainable.See how water efficiencies and conservation measures can make a big difference.

Compaction, the continuous process of delivering more effective cleaning performance in smaller quantities, is making significant strides in more sustainable wash practices. By reducing product content, packaging, solid waste, transportation and storage impact and waste and recycling pressures, compaction has greatly improved the ecological footprint of P&G cleaning products.Find out more about P&G’s sustainable innovations on product compaction.

Product packaging can have a great impact on the environment. It is essential that the packaging is produced, reused, recycled and disposed of in a way that minimizes the impact on the environment. P&G has introduced many sustainable innovations to packaging to reduce impact while ensuring that proper product information and use has not been compromised.Visit the packaging section to see some of the interesting packaging innovations.

The most sustainable product design has little worth if consumers do not use the product properly. P&G has worked hard to inform consumers of the sustainable benefits to washing with compacted products (properly dosed) at colder temperatures. Consumers have learnt that they can wash more sustainably and save energy and money at the same time. This is important as it has often proven difficult to change consumer behaviour.See P&G’s achievements in persuading consumers to adopt more sustainable wash practices.

Illustrations from P&G's Science-in-the-Box website can be used freely for educational, non-commercial purposes provided that the source will be published as follows: "Obtained from www.scienceinthebox.com (P&G website)"